Automatically expandible polishing and buffing wheel



April 22, 1941. 2,239,140

AUTOMATICALLY EXPANDIBLE POLISHING AND BUFFING WHEEL H. J. BARTON ET ALFiled Jan. 2; 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 22, 1941. J BARTON ETAL2,239,149

AUTOMATICALLY EXPANDIBLE POLISHING AND BUFFING WHEEL Filed Jan. 2, 19402 Sheets-Sheet Z Patented Apr. 22, W41

I AUTOMATIGALLY EXPANDIBLE. IQLESHIN'G 1 AND BUFFING WHEEL Hiram J. 1Barton. and Robert Barton,,D.etroit,

Mich assignors of thirty-one. oneehundredths to Frank L; Szafranski and;one-tenth to Gharles E." Wisnen both of Detroit, Mich.

Application Januaryfi, 1940, Serial No. 312,044 r v 17 Claims. (Cl.-il9il) This invention relates to huffingand polishing" It 1 is firstlyto be understoodxthat the Wheel wheels utilized in the final finishingof-surfacesc maybe used for various'purposesinbufiing or of metal, woodorother material .and the object polishing metal surfaces as, forinstance; the

of the-invention is to provide anpautomatically exterior surface'ofametal automobile body;porexpandible wheel of .such characterofconstruction, an automobile-engine crank shaft at the tion that thewheel isexpanded by rotation'of bearing points-and points of connectionofwthethe wheel in the polishing operation. connecting rod or any othercharacter-of objects More specificallythe invention is involved "informed of 'wood or-other non-metallic-mat-erial a wheel having a seriesof elements or shoes that requiredto be polished or-bufied-by means of ar are radiallymovable and. arranged in acircle, Whee1. in which eachshoe forms a part. Each. of the In its preferred construction,- thewheel conshoeshasa plate attached thereto andthe plates sists -ofa bodyI formed of two partssecuredto arranged in a tongue and: grooverelationship getherand having a central hubZ for -mounting with. thecontiguous segments. An endless on a-ishaft: The-rim 3 isformed toprovide a. buiilng or polishingbelt 'ismounted. on the seg peripheralchannel 4 which at its outer periphery 3 mentsand is of such characteras. to stretch and has an inturned edge onfiange 5 on each side thuspermit the radially movable elements to providing a. central peripheralopening to receive move outwardly. An endless coiledEspring is a metalshoe 6.- On-the'periph yof each'shoe utilized to. move theradiallymovab-leshoes in.- is m lp e 1 n h several n ateswform 'a'Wardly, the wheel having a. peripheral groove to z0, i1(3 8'and Supportthe'belt; The shoes-areiof'ia receive thesaid shoes and. a camringhaving a n r lly;u-shapeand thus-the assembled-shoesseries oftcamstherein. for radially moving the P e 8411 e i ne speripheralrsur saidshoes by rotation. of the wheel in respect to face and the outerface-ofeach ofthese shoes th said hoes, is likewise provi-dedwvitha groove9-which:;to-.

It is therefore aprincipal :object of th i get-her, form-achannel inwhichis mounte'dan: vention .to provide. a wheel havingza peripheralendless coiled spring l0 tending to -movethe h l in; its face in hichchannel t id several shoes inwardly in the channel dofrthe sh s may moveradially and "peripherally and a, Wheele 'I'heshoerplate i secured toeach-of-the beltcarryjng polishing. or abrading; surface radiallymovable' shoes fi is notchedat one'end' supported by the'shoesand'plates providing;a 30. as at Wand Wtprovidingiongues 'll, I2 and-l3construction-whereby, in bringing the .belt face in d the "oppositeendof each shoe plate] "hascontact with. av surface to be polished orbufied, w ly-extending tongues l4- and Iii-which" the; resistance of thebeltto rotation. produced fit in the 'SpaC6S-9 -an=d Ill of the'nextsucceed by the contact thereof with the work tends to ing shoeplate andthe assembled shoes and hold-the. belt lfrom. rotation thereby causingthe platesprovide a foundation for the pOliShlllggOI" cam-s tolact toexpand. thebelttand, the greater abrading belt l6.

the pressureofthe belt on. the work. the greater The belt isto beunderstood as being of end: will be. the expansion. ofthe band therebeing less form .havinga'latex or rubber-like base means provided tolimit the extent to which the formed- Of any desirable material in theouter band maybe expanded as hereinafter described. 410* face Which 'bis i 0 bufi fig elements These and various other features and objects;I! are secured; This-- surface of the-polishing of the invention areattained by the wheel shown belt 'liimay beprovided with any desiredcharin the preferred form inthe accompanyin drawactor of a bufiing orpolishing material as,; for ings in which--. instance,a wool-likesurface-consisting of fibrous Fig. lis a sidev elevation of the wheel.material of various characters dependingrupon Fig. z is a section ofWheel taken. on line 2+2 he-par i ular work required to be performed byof. Fig. lwvith parts-broken. away to more clearly the wheel orit mayhave-anabrasive surface show structural features. indicated at 18 inFig. 6. This surface may be' Figifi isaiisection taken on line 3L3 ofFig, 1. formed by abrasive particles of any desired 'fine- Fig. 4 isanenlarged face view of ashoe utilized 501 ness and characterembedded'in a rubber-like in supporting the belt; or i i n baselites-maybe: required by Fig; 5 ;is a sideelevation of the shoe shown int material be surfaced;

5, The wheel'is' therefore adapted for use with Figzifldislcloses v.tarycross section of various characters of polishing or' abrading: difidform ofrthe poli hinerimr orbuffingbelts and 'theinventionisnotrlimitedi to the specific character of belt used except that the beltshould be lirnitly elastic and preferably within the range of three tofive percent of its diameter by the shoes moving outwardly from acontracted position in which the belt may be slipped over the shoeplates when one or the other of the retaining rings 20 or 2| is removedand in the expansion, which is produced as hereinafter more fullydescribed, the shoes in moving outwardly provide such frictional contactbetween the belt and the shoe plates as to prevent a relative rotationthereof.

Each of the shoes, as will be understood from Fig. 3, is formed with anouter pontion 22 of less width than the body of the shoe thus providinga shoulder 23 which engages the inturned edges of the wheel rim when theshoes are expanded to full extent. It will be noted that the plates 1 ofeach shoe, when in contracted position shown in Fig. 3, engage the outerface of the flanged ends 5 of the wheel rim and, to prevent lateraldisplacement of the belt it, the retaining rings and 2| extend outwardlyon opposite sides of the belt to such distance that the outer peripheraledges of the rings 20 and 2| engage the side faces of the base of theband when the band is fully expanded.

The shoes and band are expanded by a cam ring indicated at 24 which issecured between the two half parts of the wheel as by the screws 25 ofwhich there are a number as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The two halfparts of the wheel, in the structure here shown, are secured together bybolts 26. The cam ring 24 has a series of cams 21 there being one camfor each shoe and the shoes are held in equi-spaced relation in eitherthe expanded or contracted position by means of pins 28 carried in theflanges of each shoe and the flanges of each shoe have a recess 29 ofsimilar form in its outer side face into which a small diameter end 30of the pins project. These recesses 29 are formed at the outer edge on aradius and in these spaces 29 are positioned What we have termed spacerrings 3| and 32 to the shoes which rings have radial slots 33 into whichthe small diameter ends 3!] of the pins extend.

The shoes are therefore all maintained in equispaced relation by therings and the slots permit the shoes to be moved outwardly by therespective cams 21 or inwardly by the spring 10. The pins are thereforeheld in engagement with the respective cams by the spring and as theshoes ride freely in a radial direction in the recess 4 by rotation ofthe wheel when the band [5 is in contact with the work, the pins ride upon the cam and expand the belt and the expansion is limited by theshoulders 23 of the shoes engaging the inner face of the flanges 5 ofthe wheel rim.

The shoe plates I provide a continuous foundation for the belt even inthe fully expanded position due to the inter-engaging notches 9 and Inof one shoe plate with the projecting portions of the next succeedingshoe plate of the series. Thus while in the expanded position the shoeswill be spaced a greater distance apart than in the contracted position,the tongues and notches of the plate 1 span such space and support thebelt or band [5.

Under this relationship of parts, as above described, the shoes will beforced to expand by the cam by rotation of the wheel, due not only tothe inertia of the shoes but also to the tendency of the band to berotated by engagement with a work piece. Upon cessation of rotation ofthe wheel the spring 10 will contract the shoes to the position shown inFig. 2 with the shoe plates engaging the outer face of the flanges 5 ofthe wheel rim.

Preferably the belt retaining rings 20 and 2| are provided with arcuateslots 34 which have an enlarged end 35 to permit placing the same overheaded lugs 36 as shown in Fig. 1, or screws 31 as shown in Fig. 3. Thering may then be turned to bring the narrow portion of the slots beneaththe headed pins or screws in a direction the reverse of the direction ofrotation of the wheel so that the rings are maintained securely in placeon the wheel when in use.

As previously stated the wheel may be utilized for various purposes inpolishing or buffing various articles of various characters of materialwhether it be metal, wood or a plastic composition and the belt isprovided with a polishing, abrading or buffing surface structuredepending upon the kind of work to be performed. It may have a gritty 0rabrading surface or a wool or lint like fibrous material of either quitestiff or a quite fluffy soft surface but in either character ofsurfacing the belt must have a limited expansion or elasticity so thatit will expand and contract with the outward or inward movement of theshoes and the frictional contact of the band with the shoe plates, whenthe shoes are in the expanded position, is mainly relied upon to preventslippage of the band on the shoe plates. The rings 20 and 2| also mayquite closely engage the side edges of the belt but not sufficient toprevent movement of the belt in a radial direction.

It is also pointed out that while the shoes 6 and the slotted rings 3|and 32 are loosely mounted in the channel 4 provided in the wheel rim,there is practically no movement of the shoes peripherally in relationto the wheel as the rollers 28 lie in a notch 28a at the low point ofthe cam when the shoes are in the contracted position and the firsteffect produced by rotation of the wheel is due to the inertia of theshoes to cause the cam to turn beneath the pins and expand the shoesuntil the shoulders 23 of the shoes is in engagement with the inner faceof the flanges 5 and the shoes are there held by the pressure of the camon the pins. Upon cessation of rotation of the wheel the spring 10causes the pins, to which the shoes are fixed, to ride downwardly to thelow point of the cam and thus contract the shoes. The belt or band I6 ofFig. 3, or 19 of Fig. 6, are shown as having an outer work surfacingface parallel with the axis of rotation of the wheel. This face,however, may be varied in contour or otherwise formed as may be requiredfor different shapes of work surface to be polished or buffed. Theinvention as hereinbefore described is not limited to an elastic orexpandible circular work surfacing belt as the wheel may be used with acircular belt slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the beltfoundation when the shoes are in the contracted relationship, therebypermitting the belt to be readily assembled on the foundation. Underthis relationship of parts the shoes carrying the curved plates formingthe foundation for the belt will, upon expansion by mean of the cams, becaused to move radially outward to increase the diameter of the beltfoundation and thereby produce a sufficiently tight frictional contactof the belt with the foundation to prevent slippage of the belt whenunder rotation in contact with the work. This frictional contact betweenthe belt and its foundation tends to cause the shoes to turn in adirection opposite the direction of rotation of the :ing a. body havinga rim provided with a periphwheel and thus to ride out on the relativelyro tatabie cams and thus increase the raidialdistance of the shoes from.the wheel center as permitted by the belt or as limited by theshoulders 23 thereon and flanges 5 of the wheel rim.

It is believed evident from the foregoing description that our improvedpolishing and buffing wheel is of simple and comparatively inexpensiveconstruction and automatically expandible and contractible and is ofsuch construction that the more pressure applied to the work by the beltwhen the wheel is in use the greater the pressure applied to expand theshoes and maintain contact of the polishing and buffing surface of thebelt with the work.

It is also pointed out that various changes and modifications may bemade in the structure and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims- Having thus briefly described our invention, what we claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. Apolishing and bufiing wheel comprising a body portion attachable at itscenter to a shaft for rotation, an endless and diametrically expandiblebelt, having an outer face adapted for surface finishing of an article,means carried by the wheel providing a continuous, circular,nonyielding, foundation for the belt, means responding to the jointrotary urge of the shaft and the frictional retarding contact of thebelt with the work for increasing the diameter of the foundation, andmeans limiting the extent to which the foundation may be increased indiameter.

2. A wheel for the purpose described, compris ing a body having a rimand adapted for attachment at its center to a shaft for rotation of thesame, a belt supported at the periphery of the wheel and having an outerface adapted for the surface finishing of an artic1e,'and means actuatedby the frictional resistance of the belt to the rotation for causing thebelt to be expanded while being rotated in contact with the piece ofwork to be finished, and means for causing the expanding means tocontract upon cessation of rotation.

3. A wheel for the purpose described comprising a body having a rim andadapted for attachment at its center to a rotatable shaft for rotationof the same, an ex'pandible endless belthav ing an outer face adaptedfor the surface finishing of an article, a belt supporting means at theperiphery of the wheel, means functioning in response to the jointrotary urge of the shaft and the frictional retarding contact of thebelt with the work to cause the belt supporting means to be increased indiameter and thus expand the belt, and means for automaticallycontracting the supporting means upon cessation of rotation of the wheeland thus effect contraction of the belt.

4. A wheel for the purpose described, comprising a body having a rimprovided with a peripheral channel opening through the periphery of therim, a belt supporting means in the said channel comprising a series ofradially movable shoes together having an outer face forming asubstantially continuous foundation for the belt, a belt having asemi-elastic base of a diameter to fit over the foundation provided bythe shoes when in the radially inward position, a spring means forcausing the shoes to move inwardly, and means for causing the shoes tomove radially outwardly by rotation of the wheel with respect to theshoes. I

5. A wheel for the purpose described, compriseral channel openingthrough the periphery of the rim, an endless, expandible, work surfacingbelt, a belt supporting means in the channel comprising aseries ofradially movable shoes together having an outer surface forming asubstantially continuous foundation for the belt, means for maintainingthe shoes in equi-spaced relation in any position, means for causing theshoes to move inwardly to contracted position, and means wherebyrotation of the wheel moves the shoe radially outward under restraint ofthe said shoe contracting means.

6. A wheel for the purpose described, comprising a body having a rimprovided with a peripheral channel opening through the periphery of therim, an endless, expandible, work surfacing belt, a belt supportingmeans in the channel comprising a series of radially movable shoestogether having an outer surface forming a substantially continuousfoundation for the belt, means for maintaining the shoes in equi-spacedrelation in anyposition, means for causing the shoes to move inwardly tocontracted position, means whereby rotation of the wheel moves the shoeradially outward under restraint of thesaid shoe contracting means, andmeans limiting outward movement of the shoes.

'7. A wheel for the purpose described comprising a body having acircular rim provided with a peripheral channel opening through theperiphcry of the rim, a series of shoes loosely positioned in thechanneLmeans for supporting the shoes in an equi-spaced relation in thechannel, said means permitting a radial movement of the shoes, at worksurfacing belt expandible in character and of endless form mounted onthe shoes as a foundation, a series of cams carried by the wheel one foreach shoe, each cam being formed on a curve eccentric to the axis ofrevolution of the wheel, a rotatable shaft secured to the center of thewheel, rotation of the shaft and wheel causing the cams to turn beneaththe respective shoes to cause a radial movement thereof and thus expandthe belt diameter to maintain the work contacting surface thereof inengagement with'the work, means acting upon cessation of rotationof thewheel to cause the shoes to ride diametrically inwardly to the low pointof the respective cams, and means carriedby the rim for preventinglateral displacement of the belt on the shoes.

' 8. A wheel for the purpose described, comprising a body having acircular rim provided with a peripheral channel opening through theperiphery of the rim, a series of shoes loosely positioned in thechannel, means for supporting the shoes in an equi-spaced relation inthe channel, said means'permitting a radial movement of the shoes, awork surfacing belt expandible in character and of endless form mountedon the shoes as a foundation, a series of cams carried by the wheel onefor each shoe, each cam being formed on a curve eccentric to the axis ofrevolution of the wheel, a rotatable shaft secured to the center of thewheel, rotation of the shaft and wheel causing the cams to turn beneaththe respective shoes to cause a radial movement thereof and thus expandthe belt diameter to maintain the work contacting surface thereof inengagement with the work, means acting upon cessation of rotation of thewheel to cause the shoes to ride diametrically inwardly to the low pointof the respective cams, means on the rim at opposite sides of thechannel opening limiting outward movement of the shoes by the camsjandmeanscarried by the rim for preventing lateral displacement of the belton the shoes. L

9. A wheel for the purpose described, comprising a body having acircular rim provided with a peripheral channel opening through theperiphery of the rim, a series of shoes loosely positioned in thechannel, means for supporting the shoes in an equi-spaced relation inthe channel, said means permitting a radial movement of the shoes, awork surfacing belt expandible in character and of endless form mountedon the shoes as a foundation, a series of cams carried by the wheel 'onefor each shoe, each cam being formed on a curve eccentric to the axis ofrevolution of the wheel, a rotatable shaft secured to the center of thewheel, rotation of the shaft and wheel causing the cams to turn beneaththe respective shoes to causea radial movement thereof and thus expandthe belt diameter to maintain the work contacting surface thereof inengagement with the work, an

endless coiled spring carried by the shoes tending to move the shoesradially inward to the low point of the respective cams to therebycontract the belt foundation, and means for preventing lateraldisplacement of the belt on the shoes.

10. A wheel for the purpose described, comprising a body having a rimand adapted for attachment at its center to a rotatableshaft'forrotation of the same, an expandible, work surfacing belt ofcircular form carried at the'periphery of the wheel, and meansresponsive to the braking effect applied to the belt by rotation oftheiwheel with the belt in contact with the surface to be finished toautomatically cause an increase in the diameter of the belt and meanscausing a decrease in belt diameter on cessation of rotation of thewheel.

11. A wheel for the purpose described comprising a body having acircular rim and a central hub adapted for attachment to a rotatableshaft, a diametrically expandible belt supporting means carried at thewheel rim in a relatively rotatable relation, a work surfacing belt ofcircular form carried by the belt supporting means, means whereby thebelt supporting means is caused to increase in diameter by rotation ofthe wheel to thereby cause tight frictional contact between the belt andits supporting means, the whole providing a structure whereby thepressure appliedto the belt in a work surfacing operation tends torotate the expandible belt supporting means in a direction opposite thedirection of rotation of the wheel thereby tending to further increasethe diameter of the belt supporting means.

12. A wheel for the purpose described comprising a body having acircular rim and a central hub attachable to a rotatable shaft, adiametrically expandible belt supporting means of circular form carriedat the wheel rim in'a, relatively rotatable relation, a worksurfacing-belt of circular form carried by the belt supporting means,the diameter of the belt being slightly greater than the diameter of thebelt supporting means when in normal contracted position to permitassembly of the belt on the belt supporting means, and means whereby thesaid belt supporting means is caused to increase in diameter by rotationof the wheel in contact with the work to thereby cause a tightfrictional engagementbetween the belt and its said supporting means, andmeans for causing a decrease in diameter of the belt supporting meansupon cessation of rotation.

13. A wheel for the purpose described comprising a body having acircular rim provided'with a peripheral recess opening through the rim,a rela- -tively rotatable and diametrically expandible belt supportingmeans in said wheel recess comprising a series of like shoes each havinga belt contacting plate, the said plates each being formed on a radiusand adapted to inter-engage with the ends of the plates of adjacentshoes to form a circular belt foundation, a circular belt having a workengaging outer surface and normally loosely fitting on the foundation,means for causing the said shoes to be moved radially outward to providetight engagement between the shoe plates and the belt by rotation of thewheel with the belt in contact with a work surface to thereby pre ventrotation of the belt on the shoe plates, and means for automaticallycausing the shoes to move radially inward upon the cessation of rotationof the wheel.

14. A wheel for the purpose described, comprising a body having acircular rim and a central hub attachable to a rotatable shaft, arelatively rotatable and a diametrically expandible belt supportingmeans at the wheel rim, a work surfacing belt of circular form carriedby the belt supporting means, the diameter of the belt being slightlygreater than the diameter of the belt supporting means when incontracted position to permit the belt to be assembled thereon, meansassociated with the wheel rim for preventing material lateraldisplacement of the belt relative to its supporting means, means carriedby the wheel and cooperative means carried by the belt supporting meanswhereby rotation of the wheel with the belt in pressure contact with thework surface automatically causes an increase in the diameter of thebelt supporting means to thereby engage the inner face of the belt undersufficient pressure to prevent material rotative displacement of thebelt relative to its supporting means in a work surfacing operation.

15. A wheel for the purpose described, comprising a body having acircular rim and a central hub attachable to a rotatable shaft, arelatively rotatable and a diametrically expandible belt supportingmeans at the wheel rim, a work surfacing belt of circular form carriedby the belt supporting means, the diameter of the belt being slightlygreater than the diameter of the belt supporting means when incontracted position to permit the belt to be assembled thereon, meanscarried by the wheel and cooperative means carried by the beltsupporting means whereby rotation of the wheel with the belt in pressurecontact with the work surface automatically causes an increase in thediameter of the belt supporting means to thereby engage the inner faceof the belt under sufficient pressure to prevent material rotativedisplacement of the belt relative to its supporting means in a worksurfacing operation.

16. A wheel for the purpose described comprising a body having a rimprovided with a circum ferential channel and adapted for attachment atits center to a rotatable shaft for rotation of the same, a radiallyexpandible and contractible belt foundation carried in the rim channel,a work surfacing belt of circular form mounted on the belt foundation,and means on the wheel and means on the belt foundation cooperativelyresponsive to the braking effect applied to the belt by rotation thereofin contact with the work to automatically cause an increase in thediameter of the belt foundation to tight engagement with the belt andthereby prevent rotation of the belt in respect to the belt foundationwhile in pressure contact with the work during a work finishingoperation.

17. The combination with a wheel having predetermined minimum andmaximum diameters of expanding peripheral surface of circular form, ofan endless belt of circular form positioned on said peripheral surfaceof the wheel, said belt having a minimum diameter greater than theminimum diameter of said expandible surface, and a maximum diameter lessthan the maximum diameter of said expandible surface, means functioningin response to the joint rotary urge of the shaft and frictionalretarding contact of the belt with the work for causing an expansion ofthe wheel, and means for automatically contracting the wheel oncessation of frictional retarding contact of the belt with the work.

HIRAM J. BARTON.

ROBERT H. BARTON.

CERTIFI GATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No; 2,259,1L 0. April 22, 19L 1.

HIRAM BARTON, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction as follows: In the grant line 2., and in theheading to the printed specification, line 5, for "assignors ofthirty-one onehundredths' read "assignors of thirty onehundredths-- asshown by the record of assignments in this office; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of May, A. D. 191d.

Henry Van Ars-dale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

